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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the instructional materials for certain curriculum in |
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public schools, including certain instructional prohibitions and |
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requirements regarding those materials. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 28.002(h-7), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(h-7) The agency shall ensure that each school district or |
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open-enrollment charter school teaches civics education as part of |
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and adopts instructional materials for the district's social |
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studies curriculum in a manner consistent with the essential |
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knowledge and skills adopted under Subsection (h-2). |
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SECTION 2. Section 28.0022(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) For any course or subject, including an innovative |
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course, for a grade level from kindergarten through grade 12: |
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(1) a teacher may not be compelled to discuss or use |
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instructional materials that cover a widely debated and currently |
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controversial issue of public policy or social affairs; |
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(2) a teacher who chooses to discuss or use |
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instructional materials that cover a topic described by Subdivision |
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(1) shall explore that topic objectively and in a manner free from |
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political bias; |
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(3) a school district, open-enrollment charter |
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school, or teacher may not require, make part of a course, or award |
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a grade or course credit, including extra credit, for a student's: |
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(A) work for, affiliation with, or service |
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learning in association with any organization engaged in: |
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(i) lobbying for legislation at the |
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federal, state, or local level, if the student's duties involve |
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directly or indirectly attempting to influence social or public |
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policy or the outcome of legislation; or |
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(ii) social policy advocacy or public |
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policy advocacy; |
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(B) political activism, lobbying, or efforts to |
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persuade members of the legislative or executive branch at the |
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federal, state, or local level to take specific actions by direct |
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communication; or |
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(C) participation in any internship, practicum, |
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or similar activity involving social policy advocacy or public |
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policy advocacy; and |
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(4) a teacher, administrator, or other employee of a |
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state agency, school district, or open-enrollment charter school |
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may not: |
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(A) require or make part of a course, including |
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the course's instructional materials, inculcation in the concept |
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that: |
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(i) one race or sex is inherently superior |
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to another race or sex; |
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(ii) an individual, by virtue of the |
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individual's race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or |
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oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously; |
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(iii) an individual should be discriminated |
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against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of |
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the individual's race or sex; |
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(iv) an individual's moral character, |
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standing, or worth is necessarily determined by the individual's |
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race or sex; |
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(v) an individual, by virtue of the |
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individual's race or sex, bears responsibility, blame, or guilt for |
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actions committed by other members of the same race or sex; |
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(vi) meritocracy or traits such as a hard |
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work ethic are racist or sexist or were created by members of a |
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particular race to oppress members of another race; |
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(vii) the advent of slavery in the |
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territory that is now the United States constituted the true |
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founding of the United States; or |
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(viii) with respect to their relationship |
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to American values, slavery and racism are anything other than |
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deviations from, betrayals of, or failures to live up to the |
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authentic founding principles of the United States, which include |
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liberty and equality; |
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(B) teach, instruct, or train any administrator, |
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teacher, or staff member of a state agency, school district, or |
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open-enrollment charter school to adopt a concept listed under |
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Paragraph (A); or |
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(C) require an understanding of the 1619 Project. |
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SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |